Before That, I Still Am
The stiff, synthesized electronic sounds slowly drifted over, and the tall monster, gripping a halberd and holding a heavy shield, silently watched them, seemingly prepared.
But he hadn't expected the other party to be there.
And...
Why haven't you aged?
"Lady?"
Upon hearing this title, the Rhodes Island members were taken aback, but following the other person's gaze, they noticed Kal'tsit frowning beside them.
"Bocscar?"
To be honest, even Kal'tsit hasn't seen a pureblood Wendigo in a long time.
Now that they've met again, her brows furrowed.
She deliberately ignored the other person's question about why she hadn't aged, and instead turned to continue talking.
"I never expected that you would join the Reunion Movement."
"..."
Patriot didn't speak, but silently turned his head and glanced at everyone present.
After a moment, he silently lowered the shield slightly.
They did not launch a direct attack.
This made everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
If the problem can be solved without fighting, that would naturally be the best thing.
Although the other side has not disarmed, at least it has not attacked, which is a good sign.
"Step back..."
Patriot quickly continued speaking, his tone stiff, forceful, and cold.
Kal'tsit, however, frowned at this moment.
Because the Patriot's actions clearly indicate that they intend to become their enemies.
But... why?
"An ancient race on the verge of being forgotten by history... Wendigo, why did you choose to help the Reunion Movement?"
"..."
Patriot didn't reply, he just continued to look in their direction.
"I am grateful to Your Highness and to you. When I led my people away, she did not stop me, but even so, you must not go forward."
Patriot's attitude was firm; even though Kal'tsit had indeed done him a favor, moving forward was absolutely out of the question.
"It's truly astonishing that you still address her as Your Highness."
Kal'tsit frowned.
"A king is a king."
The Patriot's voices were slow to respond, but their resolve was unwavering.
The Doctor and the others also sensed that Kal'tsit and the other person seemed to have some past connection, but they couldn't get a word in edgewise at this moment.
Kal'tsit clearly didn't want the people present to fight the other side, but after a moment of silence, she spoke again.
"So, you're stopping us now because of the new monarch you serve?"
"..."
The Patriot suddenly fell silent.
The heavy, mechanical breathing echoed in the air. After a moment, he spoke in a suppressed voice.
"The king is the king, the emperor is the emperor... I will no longer serve others."
For Patriot, with the ruler of his homeland dead and the Ursus emperor he served dead, he had no intention of serving anyone else.
"Then why are you blocking our way?"
Kal'tsit frowned.
"For... the Infected."
Surprisingly, the Patriot still provided an answer.
He looked at the crowd before him with suppressed emotion, and slightly raised his halberd.
A surging aura emanated from him, and the dark, imposing army behind him exuded an aura of despair.
That was a powerful formation composed of the Reunion Movement, and even the most elite warriors in Ursus!
"... Even if it causes more bloodshed?"
Kal'tsit frowned.
"I remember you confessed to His Highness that you chose to leave Kazdel because you were tired of killing... But look at you now, I see no sign that you've ever stopped killing!"
"... I know."
The Patriot fell silent.
He didn't deny the sarcasm in Kal'tsit's words... even though he knew it was ridiculous.
He had indeed grown weary of death and war when he led his remaining people away from Kazdel.
Even after leaving, he never truly escaped the war.
However, the Wendigo once fought for the Sarkaz.
The Wendigo fought for Ursus.
But...
"Right now, I fight only for the Infected!"
"Even if your leader is a madman? Even if you've killed almost a Mobile City-State?"
Kal'tsit didn't want to be enemies... Even among the powerful Sarkaz, the Wendigo were an extremely strong race, and with their limited manpower, starting a war was clearly not a wise choice.
"I do not deny it."
Patriot did not deny Kal'tsit's words. He was a man of conscience, so when he captured Chernobog, he did not allow his troops to continue killing, but only fought against Chernobog's defensive forces.
Even so, under Talulah's whim, the rest of the Reunion Movement still did too many crazy and extreme things.
Even Patriot felt that Talulah had gone too far.
But...
Even so, she remains the leader of the Infected!
Patriot raised his head and looked firmly at the crowd in front of him.
"Anyone can be eliminated, except for the Infected!"
The Reunion Movement has now descended into madness... Even the Patriot know that if things continue like this, with their current strength, they will only be completely wiped out in a real war...
In fact, if this time they really succeed, Patriot will also find a way to deal with Talulah... He used to believe in that idealistic girl.
But by this time, Talulah was no longer the foolish yet lovable idealist she once was.
She turned into a crazed monster.
In the Patriot's mind, if the Reunion Movement were to disappear, it might not be a bad choice, even if it meant he would perish with it.
The Patriot were prepared and willing to accept death, but... the cause of all this absolutely cannot be an organization composed of another Infected!
The Reunion Movement must be eliminated in a fair and square war, and then become a banner to guide other Infected have been forced to the brink of extinction!
Therefore, it absolutely cannot be eradicated by Infected!
"Therefore, Rhodes Island, step down!"
Patriot issued another warning, and powerful Originium Arts spread wildly around him!
The sky was dyed crimson.
"But... your actions will only cause more unnecessary sacrifices!"
Amiya gritted her teeth.
Her goal is actually the same as the Patriot ': to solve the discrimination faced by those Infected.
But... the actions of Patriot are unacceptable!
Infected are like dynamite on Terra, their presence felt in every country and every place.
If it breaks out, it will be a terrible war that will ignite the entire Terra!
At that time, countless races in Terra will be completely wiped out!
Amiya hopes to resolve all these problems peacefully!
But... Patriot clearly don't think that way.
He stared at the black rabbit in front of him, seemingly thinking of the girl he had sent away beforehand. After a moment of silence, he made no move.
There was no retreat, but there was also no attack.
The atmosphere remained tense.
Patriot knew that Amiya was right, and that his current actions were likely to cause more wars... but he didn't believe that Amiya's so-called peaceful change would succeed.
To this day, he has only ever seen ordinary people become Infected, but never Infected become an ordinary person.
Even someone as powerful as the Queen of the Banshee Court could only temporarily suppress the infection from the Originium.
Patriot's own child was executed by Ursus because of his status as Infected... and during his years of wandering, he witnessed many tragedies involving Infected.
He was fully aware of the nature of his actions.
Perhaps, if Talulah hadn't announced the attack on Chernobog, they would have had more options.
But it's too late now... The Reunion Movement has gone mad, and continuing will only cause more disaster.
In that case, the Patriot would rather burn it himself!
It's fair to say that if any other organization had arrived here at this moment, the Patriot might not have been so assertive.
But as if by fate, the team that arrived happened to be from Rhodes Island... an organization composed of Infected.
No matter how much embellishment is used, no matter how many rules are imposed upon it, in this world, Rhodes Island remains just like the Reunion Movement —an organization composed of Infected...
That's why the Patriot absolutely refused to let them go!
Seeing the Rhodes Island members still unwilling to give up, Patriot knew that further words would be pointless.
He raised his halberd, his crimson eyes sweeping over everyone present!
Rhodes Island...
The Doctor and the others were on edge, watching as the surging movement moved in unison like a tidal wave.
A crimson light spread across the raised halberd!
"This is my last announcement."
The Patriot raised his shield and took a step forward!
"Step back!"
Chapter 180 Before this, I was still...
"Boom--!"
A blinding flash of fire instantly illuminated the already dilapidated platform.
Maria tilted her head slightly back, looking up at the sky above her.
The explosion just now... happened right above her head.
The intense tremors made the already dilapidated building even more precarious.
Many heavy objects fell from the sky, but Maria easily dodged them all.